The latest news in the rapidly growing Israel-China business relationship is a joint-venture agricultural technology incubator. Slated to be built in Anhui Province, China, the incubator will operate under the auspices of Trendlines Agtech, a specialized investment unit of Israel’s Trendlines Group, which supports early-stage, promising medical and agricultural technology companies in Israel.

The Chinese partner in this venture, Anhui Luban Construction, brings to the table its familiarity with national agricultural needs, as well as its manufacturing facilities and distribution network throughout China.

“China needs — and actively seeks — localized, market-appropriate technologies,” said Todd Dollinger, Trendlines chairman and CEO. “Luban has the experience and skills to provide market knowledge, manufacturing and distribution capabilities for us to succeed together. This joint venture is a win-win.”

Anhui Luban Group Chairman Wang Xiwen said that Israel’s innovative technologies are urgently needed to develop our modern agricultural industry in China.

“The establishment of the joint venture will not only expand applications of Israel’s advanced technologies in China, but with the involvement and influence of the Luban Group, garner more investment opportunities for these projects and enhance cooperation in the future between Luban and Trendlines,” he said in a statement.

Xiwen, along with Luban staff and provincial representatives, attended Trendlines’ Agrivest conference in December 2013 in Tel Aviv. Dollinger made a second visit to Luban’s facilities earlier this year.

Locating the incubator in this park will put it in close proximity to China’s National Agricultural Science and Technology Park, the National Modern Agricultural Demonstration Zone Core Area and the National Demonstration Base for Processing of Agricultural Products.

About Abigail Klein Leichman

Abigail Klein Leichman is a writer and associate editor at ISRAEL21c. Prior to moving to Israel in 2007, she was a specialty writer and copy editor at a daily newspaper in New Jersey and has freelanced for a variety of newspapers and periodicals since 1984.